Charcoal drawings
After drawing the figure with charcoal last winter, I began using this medium to draw my studio plants in tones of gray, black and white. Charcoal allowed me to work larger and more boldly, with the freedom to easily rework. Appreciation of my potted palm began when I drew a single frond, noticing the shapes and patterns of black and white, the “spaces between.” As I captured its graceful, arching, rhythmic form from different angles, I watched it grow and unfold new fronds. In Palm #4, the plant took on a certain joyful gesture, reaching upward and outward, unconstrained by the edges of the paper. In the midst of the economic downturn, it’s a visual protest, an affirmation of abundant and continuous opportunities for good.
Graphite and colored pencil drawings
While walking outdoors and observing nature closely, I discover precious surprises and newfound friends. In the studio, I spend time getting to know these natural forms--buds and blossoms, leaves and branches, seed pods and fruits--selecting the right view, and drawing them larger than life. Slowly, certain qualities are revealed, and the meditative act of drawing becomes a vehicle for larger life lessons, beyond a formal exercise in value, color, pattern and form. Although these drawings are quite representational, I am striving for something more than a likeness of nature. I aspire to communicate the deeper qualities that draw me to it.
Creation Scrolls
This series of six large dye paintings on silk cloth was inspired by the creation story in the first chapter of Genesis. Each scroll represents a different day, including the light; the firmament or sky; the sea and land; the sun, moon, earth and stars; the fish and birds; and lastly, the animals and man. In this visual exploration, I’ve been more interested in understanding, appreciating and expressing the spiritual force behind creation than in any literal depiction or interpretation. These six paintings were shown in the Lincoln Library Gallery (Massachusetts) in 2004.
Day Seven: Creation Celebration was executed as a commission after the exhibit, and represents the final day of creation. Here, the elements of creation from the preceding six days are brought together in one composition. Although the seventh day is described as a day of rest, everything is active, from the swimming fish, to the running animals, to the dancing figures. Altogether, the piece is a celebration, rejoicing in the abundance, beauty, goodness and power reflected in God’s creation.
